Dealing with Dental Fears

Being afraid to visit the dentist is actually quite common. Unfortunately, dental fears can keep you from one of the most important parts of dental care: a general dentistry visit. At Reveal Dental, we can help you with dental fears. We provide general dentistry services to Cedar Park and the surrounding area.

Take Baby Steps

If you’re scared of the dentist’s chair, start small. Come in for an appointment just to talk about the strategies we can offer to help. For example, you could simply have an exam – no cleaning, no cavity-filling. It's an opportunity to make sure there aren't any serious problems and to build rapport with the dentist and staff. You can talk to the dentist about the source of your fears and figure out how to get past them.

Try Various Strategies

You don't have to take medications if you don't want to. In fact, other options are preferred. For example, some people find meditation can significantly relieve anxiety. You can listen to audio-books or music during your dental appointment, which can help distract you from the actual treatment. Reveal Dental uses such amenities as personal wireless headphones, warm blankets and dark glasses to help keep you comfortable and relaxed. Each room has television and WiFi access. An early morning appointment might also help, as that can be better than trying to have a dental appointment at the end of a stressful day.

What About Medications?

Sometimes, medications are the best choice, especially if your fear is preventing you from getting routine care. Your dentist may be able to give a you a sedative medication to take before your appointment. Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) during the treatment can also help calm and relax you. You may need someone else to take you to and from the appointment, so plan ahead.

We hate to see people living with dental fears. We do our best to provide compassionate care with the use of the latest technology. In fact, if you haven't been to see a dentist in a while, you might not realize how much things have changed. Contact Reveal Dental for an appointment and let us help you get past your dental fears so you can have a healthy, beautiful smile.

Ultimate Dental Treatment Comfort in Cedar Park

Delaying oral health care can lead to long-term problems. Some people may avoid the dentist simply because the experience is uncomfortable. At Reveal Dental, we want to offer you the most comfortable Cedar Park dental experience you've ever had.

The minute you walk into Reveal Dental, you’ll realize the difference. Smiling faces and friendly staff immediately put you at ease. Although we don't expect you'll have a long wait, we offer televisions and WiFi in both waiting and treatment rooms to help keep you entertained. You even have the option of a personal wireless headphone.

Comfort options at Reveal Dental include fleece blankets to keep you warm and cozy throughout your treatment. We also have lip balm to prevent dry or chapped lips. When the dentist is finished, we'll offer a hot towel treatment to help refresh you after your dental treatment. Throughout your treatment, our friendly dental staff  will check on you and do everything they can to keep you as comfortable as possible.

Physical comfort is important, and we use all the latest techniques to minimize discomfort. Your emotional-well being, however, is also part of the picture. We begin with establishing rapport and then explain what will happen during your care. Patient education is a big part of helping you feel comfortable, so we make sure you learn what you need to know about your treatment and ongoing care.

Reveal Dental offers a wide range of general dentistry services to residents of Cedar Park and the surrounding areas. When you're looking for a Cedar Park dental practice, please contact us at (512) 337-2316 to schedule an appointment.

Considering Dental Insurance?

The idea behind any kind of insurance is that things happen, and they don't happen at a good time. Although medical insurance is much more common than it once was, dental insurance is often not included in a medical plan. Is it worth buying dental insurance? Reveal Dental, your family dentist in Cedar Park, offers some thoughts on the subject.

Cover the Basics

Routine dental care is vitally important to maintain your oral health. You can certainly do your part by flossing daily and brushing twice a day. The American Dental Association recommends twice annual visits for cleaning and examination. However, such care can add up, especially if you have multiple family members. Forgoing that care may simply lead to much greater expense down the road, and can increase the chance of multiple cavities, or even gum disease.

Look At All Possibilities

Dental insurance plans vary. Some include all or part of routine preventive care, others cover only more extensive (and expensive) care like fillings, crowns, implants or dental surgery. One big advantage of those plans that cover routine care is the opportunity to catch problems early in the game and keep them from getting worse. If you are lucky enough to have excellent teeth and little susceptibility to decay, however, it might be more expensive in the long run to pay insurance premiums than to regularly set a little aside for routine dental care.

Money Matters

For large expenses like a root canal or a dental implant, a dental insurance policy can be a big help. You may still have a co-payment or need to meet a deductible, depending on the plan. Dental plans typically negotiate lower rates for dental services, something you may not be able to do as an individual. On the other hand, your dentist may offer payment plans or discounts for cash that are the equivalent or better than the rates a dental insurer can negotiate

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to the dental insurance question. Do the research on the various plans available, then come in to see us at Reveal Dental so we can tell you what your options are with us for the dentistry services you need. Although it takes a little time, jumping through these hoops ensures you'll find the answer that's right for you.

Don't Short-Change Your Routine Dental Care

In tough economic times, everyone looks for ways to save money. However, there's an old English saying: “penny wise, pound foolish.” In other words, sometimes you must spend to save. Reveal Dental, offering general dentistry in the Cedar Park area, note that this is particularity true of routine dental care.

Why Do I Need an Appointment?
The purpose of a general dentistry appointment is for professional cleaning and a check-up. Although you floss daily and brush your teeth twice a day (you do, don't you?), it's nearly impossible to get your pearly whites as clean as they'll be after a professional cleaning. The check-up is opportunity to catch problems early.

Plaque and Tartar
No matter how good your oral hygiene, it's almost impossible to prevent plaque build-up. The sticky film of bacteria begins to build within just a few hours of a good brushing. Once plaque gets started, it can change into tartar -- a hard coating that neither flossing nor brushing can remove. The dental hygienist has tools you don't -- and perhaps more importantly -- can see and get into places you can't reach, ensuring a really good cleaning.

Catch Problems Early
The point of the dental check-up is just that -- to check for early warning signs. In addition to cavities, you'll have a careful full mouth inspection, to look at the spacing of your gums and teeth, check for cavities and examine the condition of the gums. The dentist will inspect your throat, tongue, neck and head, checking for signs or problems like swelling, redness or signs of cancer.

The Cosmetic Aspects
In addition to the check-up part of a routine dental appointment, you'll probably have your teeth polished, which helps to remove surface stains and improve the appearance of your teeth. This is also a good time to talk to your dentist about any concerns you might have -- such as excessively sensitive teeth -- or to discuss cosmetic treatments like tooth whitening.

Remember, preventive dental care saves you money and saves your teeth. It can head off small problems early so they don't become large problems. Don't short-change your dental health. Contact Reveal Dental, your family dentist in Cedar Park, to schedule an appointment.

Reveal Dental Answers Your Top Questions About Dental Implants

If George Washington were alive today, he wouldn't have to deal with wooden dentures. Today's dentists offer many restorative and cosmetic procedures that would have made George willing to smile widely. Dental implants, for example, can solve the problem of missing teeth. The experts at Reveal Dental in Cedar Park answer your top four questions about dental implants.

Does it Hurt?
Dental implants must be inserted into the jawbone. This is what gives them their extraordinary stability and strength. To prevent discomfort during the procedure, the dentist will use a local anesthetic, which numbs the area where the work is being done. After the anesthetic wears off, you may experience some minor pain or soreness for a few days, but the pain usually goes away quickly.

How Do I Protect the Implant?
As with any surgical procedure, recovery from a dental implant insertion takes a while. Your implant is weakest immediately after the surgery. Excessive chewing can make you sore, as can hard foods. We'll give you a list of dietary recommendations to prevent problems. Staying well-hydrated also helps support the healing process. We'll also teach you how to care for your teeth and new implant during the healing process.

Will My Dental Implant Last a Long Time?
The whole point of a dental implant is to provide you with a long-term solution. In general, a dental implant will last as long as 35 years. It is not uncommon for a dental implant to last even longer. Proper care makes a difference, of course. Your dentist will check the condition of the implant during your regular dental visits and suggest maintenance strategies.

How Noticeable Will the Implant Be?
Most dental implants replace a missing tooth, so that part will definitely be noticeable, but for the better. Dental implants can be custom-colored and shaped to blend with your other teeth. After the healing process, the dental implant will simply look like another tooth, especially to people who are meeting you for the first time and don't know you lost a tooth.

Too bad George didn't have the experts at Reveal Dental in his corner, but for you, we're a phone call away. Contact us at Reveal Dental for your dental care needs and dental implants in the Cedar Park area. Or visit our website, at http://www.revealdental.com/

4 Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments at Reveal Dental in Cedar Park, TX

The cosmetic dentists at Reveal Dental in Cedar Park are committed to bringing out patients’ beautiful smiles with state-of-the-art technology and compassionate, quality care.  In addition to providing education and preventative dentistry such as x-rays and cleanings, we also perform cosmetic treatments that will have you smiling with confidence in no time.

1. Same-Day Crowns

If you’re looking for a smile fit for a king, a crown can help strengthen a broken or damaged tooth and improve its appearance. With the use of the PlanScan system we can prepare, create and insert your permanent crown on the same day. The PlanScan system uses state-of the-art CAD/CAM technology to seamlessly craft the perfect crown without the need for messy impressions or multiple appointments.

2. White Composite Fillings

Much more aesthetically pleasing than traditional silver fillings, composite resin fillings bond tightly to tooth surfaces. This material can fill the tiniest gaps in teeth and is designed to match the shade of your tooth. Traditional silver amalgam fillings contain mercury, and expand and contract over time causing gaps and cracks in teeth. Composite resin fillings are durable and can be used on front or back teeth. They are a great choice for people who prefer their fillings to look more natural.

3. Teeth Whitening

With the latest teeth-whitening technology, we can help you whiten and brighten your smile quickly and easily. Reveal Dental offers custom-fit wearable whitening trays with at-home bleaching gel, or we can perform in-office whitening procedures that take just over an hour.  In-office power bleaching uses more concentrated gel and is applied directly to the teeth to accelerate the whitening process.

4. Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are thin, custom-made ceramic-porcelain shells that are designed to cover the front surface of teeth. They are bonded to the front of the tooth changing color, shape, size, or length and cover imperfections to due to stains, gaps or crowding. Porcelain veneers look just like natural teeth; once they are placed, they blend in seamlessly with surrounding teeth, providing a beautiful, healthy-looking smile.

Patients are encouraged to speak with us to discuss their overall oral health before any cosmetic dental procedure.  For more information, contact our team of cosmetic dentists at Reveal Dental today at 512-337-2316, or visit our website at www.revealdental.com. We look forward to serving your needs.

Reveal Dental Offers Latest PlanScan Technology

Dental crowns can make a big difference in the function and appearance of your teeth, but proper fit is critically important. Not all dental practices have access to the latest technology, but Reveal Dental in Cedar Park, TX can now create porcelain crowns with the same-day technology available from PlanScan.

Porcelain crowns have many benefits. They are strong and can be custom-colored for each patient. A porcelain crown is often the best choice for teeth under heavy biting stress, such as molars. In the past, a porcelain crown meant at least two dental visits -- one to fit a temporary crown, and one to place and shape the permanent crown. The dentist must create impressions at the first visit to get the right size and shape of the tooth. Once the crown is placed, the dentist may need to shape and refit repeatedly until it's just right.

PlanScan is a CAD/CAM technology that allows the Reveal Dental team to do it all in one day and on site. The CAD system (Computer Assisted Design) allows the dentist to provide patients in the Cedar Park area with perfectly shaped, properly fitted crowns in a fraction of the time needed by previous techniques. The design is created by scanning the tooth and then the crown is carved from a ceramic block using CAM (Computer Assisted Manufacturing).

PlanScan is an important investment, and the team at Reveal Dental feels it's well worth the improved service they can now offer their patients.

Reveal Dental welcomes new patients from Cedar Park, Texas, and the surrounding region. We offer many other cosmetic dental services, including dental implants, veneers, whitening, general and restorative dentistry. Contact us today to learn more or to discuss treatment options. Visit www.revealdental.com or call (512) 337-2316.